Keep it Dark
by PPLyra
Summary: Somewhere between their travels, arguments, stupid little fights... he fell in love.


_**Note: **__I changed a line of "Things I will never say" by Avril Lavigne, nya~_

* * *

Alone at night, Xellos watched the reflection of the moon from the nearby river. It was very peaceful tonight. The only sound that can be heard was the river running in front of him. He laid himself on a big branch on a tree, with his arms behind his head, and his leg rested on the other with his staff atop his belly.

The moonlight was bright tonight. It was a full moon.

he couldn't help but to think about the fellow golden dragon that he travels with along with Lina Inverse, Gourry Gabriev, Amelia Seyruun and Zelgadis Greywords. He knew what she was and what he was. No matter what, there was no way Filia could return the feelings he has for her. It just seem unusual for a mazoku to fall in love... especially to a shrine maiden th-that's a _dragon priestess_.

But somewhere between their travels, arguments, stupid little fights... he fell in love.

He was certainly not used to this. Not in his one thousand years. He always thought that a mazoku can _never_ fall in love, but she was a different girl from any other girls he was with before. She even cared when he was hurt badly when he and Valgaav fought. He liked being near Filia since then. Her warmth felt nice against his rigid body. He sighed to himself after moments of thinking, then sat up, his legs were close to his chest, with his arms swathed around them and his chin rested on his knees.

A moment later, sounds of footsteps can be heard nearby that it caused Xellos to stop spacing out. He lurked in the shadows to see who it was.

It was her - _Filia_.

Her beautiful, shiny, long blonde hair swayed along with the gentle, cool breeze and she looked out at the river. Filia couldn't sleep tonight, when all in her head was Xellos, Xellos and..._Xellos_! The mazoku who single-fingered-killed her many of her kind more than a thousand years ago. But she didn't care less what he was. She still couldn't get him off her mind. She liked being teased and made fun at, especially by Xellos. Even though she wanted to punch him so badly and hit his smug-bastard face with her million pound mace, she wouldn't dare to hurt him.

All those times with him made her heart really happy.

The time when they were at Mt. Corona and Jillias made them get two gold orbs and said that they were a couple with compatible hearts. But Filia refused to accept it. Xellos agreed. Well, at least when the other four made it out when she was just alone while she played with rocks by herself. She was by herself. No-one. Not even Xellos decided to bother her. Filia then decided to draw Xellos's face on a rock, with _Dust_ written on top of his hair, half hoping he won't see and the other half hoping that he'll come out of the darkness and just talk to her. Little did she knew. He _was_ watching her every move when she was alone. He was about to teleport next to her, but all the distraction and the fighting that Lina and the other three were having, he decided to just wait, but it was too late. As what Lina said, _He's not there when you need him and he's there when you don't need him_.

Also the time when Zelgadis made a suggestion for them to activate the magic vessels when they were at Alto and Baritone. She thought her dreams would finally come true, but instead she insulted him because she thought it was too early to confess.

Filia sighed, placing her hands on her sides and began to hum a tune. Xellos watched her in the darkness with a curious look while his eyes were open. The night sky was more exciting looking through with slit-pupil eyes of his. Everything was crystal-clear in the darkness. Filia inhaled deeply and opened her mouth to sing, _"If I could say what I want to say. I say, I want to blow you away. Be with you every night. Wish I was there to hold you tight..."_ she then looked down, then continued, but her voice was lower, _"With these things I'll never say..."_

Xellos just stood there in shocked. What charming voice she has! He enjoyed listening to Filia singing every single moment. It made him smile. A smile that he haven't done in a very long time.

"Xell..." Xellos heard her called out his name in a very... somber way. He wanted to walk over to her, but he was too afraid that she would likely to run away at the sight of him. Filia then fell onto her knees and whimpered softly. "Why... can't I..." she whispered. Tears fell down from her eyes fast. She lifted her hands up to her face and buried her face between her hands.

Seeing her in sadness made Xellos wanted to help her more, but before he could take a step forward, someone called out her name, "Miss Filia! Miss Filia!" Xellos looked who it was. Just as he expected, it was the love, hope and justice loving girl - _Amelia_. She ran up to the dragon priestess as she saw her crying. "Oh, my. Miss Filia, what's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" Amelia asked, looking at Filia. "Just tell me who it is and I'll punish them with my hammer of justice!" And with that, Amelia done a dramatic justice pose, feeling proud of herself.

Filia wiped her ears away with her white cloak. "Oh, no-one did. I'm fine, Miss Amelia. Don't worry. I was crying coz I... uhh..." Filia trailed off, thinking what to say, "I had a nightmare, that's all." She gave the younger shrine maiden a fake smile.

"If you say so, Miss Filia," she mumbled, half-believed Filia's fake smile.

Amelia helped the other girl to get up back in her feet. "Thank you."

"Let's go back to the camp. Miss Lina and the others are worried about you." The two girls begun to return back to the campsite, leaving Xellos alone again. He couldn't forget those words Filia sang a while ago.

Could it be? Filia liked him back? Was that song for him? No. This was too farfetched. He shook his head and teleported away.

The next day, Filia stretched her arms out on her sleeping bag and yawned inaudibly. She unzipped the flap of her grey tent and went out. It was still early and no-one else except her was awake. She didn't bother to sleep anymore, even though she was still tired. "After what happened last night, I don't think I can sleep a wink now..." she said out loud to herself and sat on one of the logs the group put together last night.

The mazoku half-smiled behind a nearby tree upon seeing the girl he's been longing for and teleported beside the dragon priestess to sit next to her. "Good morning, dragon," he said, sounding cheerful.

"Whoa!" Filia exclaimed. She was startled as heck hat she decided to sit far away from Xellos. "Get lost, Namagomi!"

"That wasn't very nice of you, Filia." Xellos's smile faded.

"Well..." Filia turned away, hiding her blush, "your fault for startling me."

Xellos didn't reply and they were quiet for a moment. It was an awkward silence between the two...

_'Okay, this is your chance. Just say those three words, Filia!'_ the blonde girl thought to herself.

_'Why is Filia looking away from me? Does she hate me for something I didn't do?'_ the purple haired asked himself.

After a moment, when Filia turned to face Xellos again, they both talked at the same time. "I..." they both called out. When they realized that they spoke at the same time, the blush on Filia's cheeks turned crimson red.

"Y... You first," said Xellos.

"N... No you," Filia replied back.

"No, dragons first."

Filia groaned loudly to herself and buried her face in her hands. She gulped. _'Filia, you got his attention! Now, say it!'_ her mind ordered.

_'Okay, okay!'_ she snapped back inside her mind.

_'Damn it! Stop stalling and do it already!'_

_'Shut your face!'_

Filia was having a weird argument with her own thoughts that caused her to hit herself on her head with her hands. She even pulled her own hair, making _Roar_ sounds.

Xellos impatiently waited for the girl's response. Hoping she would just hurry it up. The way she was acting wasn't normal for her. It was like she swallowed something disgusting and she tried to choke it out by hitting herself.

Filia then got it together and stopped fidgeting. She took a deep breath. "I love you..." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

"What?" Xellos, who was shocked of what he heard just now. He wanted her to speak up to make sure what she really said was true. "What did you say, Filia? I didn't hear you," he demanded.

"I lo..." Filia turned to face the mazoku she adored. "_I love you_, Mister Xellos! There, I said it!" Tears steamed down Filia's cheeks at that very moment and she sniffled.

Xellos was stunned. Not in his one thousand years someone said those three words to his face. The look on Filia's face made him quiver slightly. He tried to say something, but nothing came out when he opened his mouth. He was definitely too speechless that he swallowed back his words.

Filia felt like it was forever when she was waiting for his response. She looked at him, but nothing. He didn't respond or at least done anythin to her. Filia was hurt now. She always knew tha he never liked her back. She stood up on her feet, turned around and bolted for the woods. Everything was a blur from the tears that piled up in her eyes.

But before she could disappear in the woods, a hand gripped her arm lightly. She turnd to see and it was Xellos. She looked away, daring not to face him in this situation. "Filia, you didn't wait for me to say something," he said, still holding her arm.

"Let me go, Nama... Mister Xellos..." she mumbled.

"No, I will _not_ let you go. Not _ever_!" he loosened the grip on her arm, but still holding onto her. Filia was quiet. Soft whimper can only be heard. "Listen, Filia," Xellos said. "I like you, I_really_ do! Whenever I'm near you, I just want to hold you!" Filia's cry started to slow down.

He continued, "The times when we argued, the times when you wanted to hit me with your mace, the time when we had to pair up, the time when you help me when I was wounded, the times I watched you sleep while you call out my name... Everything!" he squeaked the last sentenced out, afraid of what she'll think of him being a creep that watch her sleep like that. "Do you want me to keep goin'?!"

He loosened the grip and let her arm go and she just stood there, trying to take it all in. "Filia... I don't care if you're a dragon and I'm a mazoku. Even we're entirely different races, I still love you."

Filia just stood there. Her deep breathing from the short run was the only noise that she was making.

"I guess, I'll just show you instead of explaining..." Xellos swiftly turned Filia's body to face him. Her face was damp from all the crying, but he didn't care. He brushed the hair that were stuck on Filia's face from the tears and gently placed his face over hers and closed the gap between them.

She tasted like the sweetest lemon tea that he ever encountered with a hint of butterscotch. That made Xellos smile in their kiss and wanted more. He felt Filia's warm body against his. Her fast pulse crashing against his bare chest.

Filia couldn't believe her eyes and what he was doing to her right now. Xellos was returning the feelings she had for him! More tears fell down her cheeks for happiness.

Xellos stopped and looked at her, removed his glove to wipe her tears away with his bare hand. "Don't cry, my priestess," he said, softly. The cool hand sliding on her warm, red-tomato cheek made her shiver a little. "I love you, too. I don't want you out of my sight. I'm fed up of teleporting away from you."

He grabbed the fragile dragon and caressed her gently once again, this time his chin was resting on her head.

Shocked. Filia thought this was all a dream and took a moment to let it all in. She just smiled and placed her arms around his waist, not wanting to let go. _'I love... you, Xellos. Only you...'_she thought to herself. The smell of Xellos was fascinating on her sniffly nose. It made her hold him even closer. The scent of Xellos's body smelt like black tea. She nuzzled herself on him. _'If this is a dream... please, let me sleep forever...'_

No, this wasn't a dream.

A moment had past and they let each other go. "We better get back to camp." Filia smiled, reaching up to kiss him again. Xellos teleported away when she broke the kiss. "Namagomi, I thought you said that you're not going to leave me!" she exclaimed, sounding half-angry.

"Of course not! I just don't want our little friends to know about us..." Xellos appeared in front of Filia, strokes her blushing cheeks gently before disappearing again, "...just yet!"

"Okay, I can keep a secret," Filia giggled happily and went back to camp, sipping on her way.

"You know something, Filia..."

Filia kept skipping happily as Xellos continued to talk in the breeze. "Hmm, yeah, what is it?" Filia wondered, looking around her surroundings, but Xellos wasn't seen.

"...You have a great singing voice."


End file.
